On 15 August 1945, Japan’s surrender brings World War II to a close. News doesn’t come much more momentous than that, and one of the broadcasters reporting it was KFWB, a Los Angeles radio station.
In the studio were none other than Hollywood stars Rita Hayworth, Orson Welles and Marlene Dietrich. As the San Fernando Valley Times reports:
KFWB had the most “glamorous” copy-girls in the nation during last Monday’s all-night alert caused by word of Japan’s surrender. Marlene Dietrich and Rita Hayworth, who came to the studio with Orson Welles early Monday evening stayed all night, watching the teletypes and rushing bulletins to the microphone, where Welles did a “marathon” commentary lasting most of the night.
Orson and Rita had been married for two years. Judging by their expressions here, who would guess that disaster lay ahead? The following year they would begin making The Lady from Shanghai, with Rita in the starring role opposite Orson, who also directed. It ‘reads’ like a letter of pure hatred towards Rita and it was released in 1948, the couple were divorced in November 1947.
Marlene had moved from Germany to the US in 1930. She had rejected the Nazis’ blandishments and become one of the first celebrities to raise money for US war bonds.
This photo and all but two of the others on this page are from a shoot by photographer Otto Rothschild, showing the news coming in and being announced. Rothschild was the official performing arts photographer for the Los Angeles Music Center, the Hollywood Bowl and the LA Philharmonic Orchestra. (The other two were taken by Eugene L Abbott.)
KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Orson Welles looks on as Rita Hayworth reads the teletype announcing Japan's surrender. Photo by Otto Rothschild.
KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Marlene Dietrich, Orson Welles and Sam Balter are mesmerized by the teletype machine announcing Japan's surrender. Photo by Otto Rothschild.
KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Marlene Dietrich announces Japan's surrender. Photo by Otto Rothschild.
KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Marlene Dietrich receives news of Japan's surrender together with John Dehner, Sam Balter, John Hughes and Lou Marcelle. Photo by Otto Rothschild.
KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Marlene Dietrich and Sam Balter discuss the news of Japan's surrender. In the background is John B Hughes. Photo by Otto Rothschild.
KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Marlene Dietrich, Orson Welles, John Dehner and a crowd of men gather around a teletype machine as news arrives of Japan's surrender. Photo by Otto Rothschild.
KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. It turns out that Otto Rothschild wasn’t the only snapper at KFWB that day. Here’s another shot of Marlene, and this one has a caption on the back:
Marlene Dietrich reads wires and teletype messages in the receiving room at radio station KFWB. Though a foreign-born actress, Marlene was as interested in the war as any American born citizen. When she felt that the news of Japanese surrender was soon to be heard she went to KFWB so that she would hear the news the moment it was flashed on the wires. She spent the night and slept only a few moments during that time.
Photo by Eugene L Abbott.
KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. Orson Welles and Marlene Dietrich relax after announcing the surrender of Japan. Photo by Otto Rothschild.
KFWB Radio, Los Angeles, 15 August 1945. The stars stay up to announce Japan's surrender but at some point tiredness gets the better of Marlene. A caption on the back of the photo (the date presumably is the date the photo was issued) reads:
8/24/45
Early in the morning, Marlene began to get a little sleepy, but so that she would be sure and not miss anything, she took a short nap outside the news room. Lennie Hayden and Lloyd Jones walk out but are careful not to disturb her.
Photo by Eugene L Abbott.
Most of the photos are from the personal collection of John Dehner. John worked as a radio actor before becoming a TV star. Prior to acting, he was an animator at Walt Disney Studios and also a professional pianist.
Also featured are Sam Balter, a member of the United States gold medal basketball team in 1936 and the only Jewish-American to win a gold medal at the Berlin Olympics; John B Hughes, an actor, who starred in Meet John Doe (1941) and Rhapsody in Blue (1945); and Lou Marcelle, an actor, known for Stars on Horseback (1943) and Where Will You Hide? (1948).
